Out with the tide...

[DarylB]

Several Republican legislators have established their identity as collaborators with the bigger government, higher taxing socialists, for the sake of their own political expediency. Now that the tide is beginning to turn, and Republicans are most certainly finding their common voice and central focus again, many of those who didn't adhere to the principles of smaller government, lower taxes, and more accountability now stand the chance of being swept out in the tide.



Election 2010: Pennsylvania Republican Senate Primary
Pennsylvania Senate Primary: Toomey 51% Specter 30%

Friday, April 29,2009



Incumbent Senator Arlen Specter trails former Congressman Pat Toomey by 21 points in an early look at Pennsylvania’s 2010 Republican Primary. Fifty-one percent (51%) of Republican voters statewide say they’d vote for Toomey while just 30% would support Specter.
Specter is viewed favorably by 42% of Pennsylvania Republicans and unfavorably by 55%, according to a new Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of voters in the state. Those are stunningly poor numbers for a long-term incumbent senator. Specter was first elected to the Senate in 1980.
Toomey, who served in the House from 1999 to 2005, earns positive reviews from 66% and negative comments from just 19%.

Though Specter has been in the Senate for 28 years, he has struggled to maintain grassroots support within his own party during recent years. Six years ago, the incumbent barely survived a primary challenge and defeated the more conservative Toomey by just two points, 51% to 49%. He then went on to win (http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_2010/election_2010_senate_elections/pennsylvania/election_2010_pennsylvania_republican_senate_prima ry#) the general election in 2004 by a 53% to 42% margin.
This time around, things could be even more challenging for Specter. He was one of only three Republicans in the Congresshttp://images.intellitxt.com/ast/adTypes/mag-glass_10x10.gif (http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_2010/election_2010_senate_elections/pennsylvania/election_2010_pennsylvania_republican_senate_prima ry#) to vote for President Obama’s $787 billion stimulus plan. Fifty-eight percent (58%) of Pennsylvania Republicans said they were less likely to vote for Specter (http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_2010/election_2010_senate_elections/pennsylvania/election_2010_pennsylvania_senate_election) because of his support for the stimulus package.
In another sign that could be troubling for Specter, the current poll finds that 79% of Pennsylvania Republicans have a favorable opinion of the “Tea Party” protests against big government spending and higher taxes held across the nation last week. Thirty percent (30%) know someone personally who took part. Overall, 82% of Pennsylvania Republicans say that the federal governmenthttp://images.intellitxt.com/ast/adTypes/mag-glass_10x10.gif (http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_2010/election_2010_senate_elections/pennsylvania/election_2010_pennsylvania_republican_senate_prima ry#) has too much money and too much power. Just four percent (4%) say it has too little.
Specter leads Toomey by just eight points among moderate Republicans statewide, but Toomey holds a solid advantage among conservative Republicans.
In 2004, Specter benefitted from the fact that the official Republican establishment strongly backed his candidacy against Toomey. Early indications are that he will not enjoy such support this time around. One reason may be that Pennsylvania has been trending more Democratic in recent years, and Specter has shown weakness in early general election polling match-ups (http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_2010/election_2010_senate_elections/pennsylvania/election_2010_pennsylvania_senate_election).

[chaboard]

Several Republican legislators have established their identity as collaborators with the bigger government, higher taxing socialists, for the sake of their own political expediency. Now that the tide is beginning to turn, and Republicans are most certainly finding their common voice and central focus again, many of those who didn't adhere to the principles of smaller government, lower taxes, and more accountability now stand the chance of being swept out in the tide.



Election 2010: Pennsylvania Republican Senate Primary
Pennsylvania Senate Primary: Toomey 51% Specter 30%

Friday, April 29,2009



Incumbent Senator Arlen Specter trails former Congressman Pat Toomey by 21 points in an early look at Pennsylvania’s 2010 Republican Primary. Fifty-one percent (51%) of Republican voters statewide say they’d vote for Toomey while just 30% would support Specter.
Specter is viewed favorably by 42% of Pennsylvania Republicans and unfavorably by 55%, according to a new Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of voters in the state. Those are stunningly poor numbers for a long-term incumbent senator. Specter was first elected to the Senate in 1980.
Toomey, who served in the House from 1999 to 2005, earns positive reviews from 66% and negative comments from just 19%.

Though Specter has been in the Senate for 28 years, he has struggled to maintain grassroots support within his own party during recent years. Six years ago, the incumbent barely survived a primary challenge and defeated the more conservative Toomey by just two points, 51% to 49%. He then went on to win (http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_2010/election_2010_senate_elections/pennsylvania/election_2010_pennsylvania_republican_senate_prima ry#) the general election in 2004 by a 53% to 42% margin.
This time around, things could be even more challenging for Specter. He was one of only three Republicans in the Congresshttp://images.intellitxt.com/ast/adTypes/mag-glass_10x10.gif (http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_2010/election_2010_senate_elections/pennsylvania/election_2010_pennsylvania_republican_senate_prima ry#) to vote for President Obama’s $787 billion stimulus plan. Fifty-eight percent (58%) of Pennsylvania Republicans said they were less likely to vote for Specter (http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_2010/election_2010_senate_elections/pennsylvania/election_2010_pennsylvania_senate_election) because of his support for the stimulus package.
In another sign that could be troubling for Specter, the current poll finds that 79% of Pennsylvania Republicans have a favorable opinion of the “Tea Party” protests against big government spending and higher taxes held across the nation last week. Thirty percent (30%) know someone personally who took part. Overall, 82% of Pennsylvania Republicans say that the federal governmenthttp://images.intellitxt.com/ast/adTypes/mag-glass_10x10.gif (http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_2010/election_2010_senate_elections/pennsylvania/election_2010_pennsylvania_republican_senate_prima ry#) has too much money and too much power. Just four percent (4%) say it has too little.
Specter leads Toomey by just eight points among moderate Republicans statewide, but Toomey holds a solid advantage among conservative Republicans.
In 2004, Specter benefitted from the fact that the official Republican establishment strongly backed his candidacy against Toomey. Early indications are that he will not enjoy such support this time around. One reason may be that Pennsylvania has been trending more Democratic in recent years, and Specter has shown weakness in early general election polling match-ups (http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_2010/election_2010_senate_elections/pennsylvania/election_2010_pennsylvania_senate_election).


GOOOO TOOMEY!!!!

Toomey is unelectable in a general election in blue-trending Pennsylania. You guys take Benedict Arlen out in the primary and you are handing us Senate seat #60 on a silver platter*.

Specter's best shot was to bolt the GOP and run as an independent. With his still fairly solid support among the general population and fairly strong record of support for labor in a strong union state he could've won that way.

Now? He's screwed. He probably can't beat Toomey at all amongst the wingnuts but to have even the most remote chance at all of doping so he has to do really stupid things that will make it absolutely impossible for him to win the general. Such as his sudden abandoning of EFCA last month, for starters.

Lame duck senator quacking.

(* = although to be fair since 8 of the 9 most currently competitive Senate seats up for grabs in 2010 are held by the GOP the number you're really trying to avoid isn't 60, but 67....)

[DarylB]

Several Republican legislators have established their identity as collaborators with the bigger government, higher taxing socialists, for the sake of their own political expediency. Now that the tide is beginning to turn, and Republicans are most certainly finding their common voice and central focus again, many of those who didn't adhere to the principles of smaller government, lower taxes, and more accountability now stand the chance of being swept out in the tide.



Election 2010: Pennsylvania Republican Senate Primary
Pennsylvania Senate Primary: Toomey 51% Specter 30%

Friday, April 29,2009



Incumbent Senator Arlen Specter trails former Congressman Pat Toomey by 21 points in an early look at Pennsylvania’s 2010 Republican Primary. Fifty-one percent (51%) of Republican voters statewide say they’d vote for Toomey while just 30% would support Specter.
Specter is viewed favorably by 42% of Pennsylvania Republicans and unfavorably by 55%, according to a new Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of voters in the state. Those are stunningly poor numbers for a long-term incumbent senator. Specter was first elected to the Senate in 1980.
Toomey, who served in the House from 1999 to 2005, earns positive reviews from 66% and negative comments from just 19%.

Though Specter has been in the Senate for 28 years, he has struggled to maintain grassroots support within his own party during recent years. Six years ago, the incumbent barely survived a primary challenge and defeated the more conservative Toomey by just two points, 51% to 49%. He then went on to win (http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_2010/election_2010_senate_elections/pennsylvania/election_2010_pennsylvania_republican_senate_prima ry#) the general election in 2004 by a 53% to 42% margin.
This time around, things could be even more challenging for Specter. He was one of only three Republicans in the Congresshttp://images.intellitxt.com/ast/adTypes/mag-glass_10x10.gif (http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_2010/election_2010_senate_elections/pennsylvania/election_2010_pennsylvania_republican_senate_prima ry#) to vote for President Obama’s $787 billion stimulus plan. Fifty-eight percent (58%) of Pennsylvania Republicans said they were less likely to vote for Specter (http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_2010/election_2010_senate_elections/pennsylvania/election_2010_pennsylvania_senate_election) because of his support for the stimulus package.
In another sign that could be troubling for Specter, the current poll finds that 79% of Pennsylvania Republicans have a favorable opinion of the “Tea Party” protests against big government spending and higher taxes held across the nation last week. Thirty percent (30%) know someone personally who took part. Overall, 82% of Pennsylvania Republicans say that the federal governmenthttp://images.intellitxt.com/ast/adTypes/mag-glass_10x10.gif (http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_2010/election_2010_senate_elections/pennsylvania/election_2010_pennsylvania_republican_senate_prima ry#) has too much money and too much power. Just four percent (4%) say it has too little.
Specter leads Toomey by just eight points among moderate Republicans statewide, but Toomey holds a solid advantage among conservative Republicans.
In 2004, Specter benefitted from the fact that the official Republican establishment strongly backed his candidacy against Toomey. Early indications are that he will not enjoy such support this time around. One reason may be that Pennsylvania has been trending more Democratic in recent years, and Specter has shown weakness in early general election polling match-ups (http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_2010/election_2010_senate_elections/pennsylvania/election_2010_pennsylvania_senate_election).

Guess I called that one right.... good riddance! Losing ground to Toomey I guess was the final blow in his slide of self destruction. He's at least going to lose as a Democrat, which is befitting. Snowe and Collins are next ...... time to get back to basics.